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Review of Israel Vibration @ Mean Fiddler, London

by Peach18 July 2007

On Sunday big things where happening in the Capital. Three great reggae acts on one bill. How could it get better? Well it did not entirely live up to its promise. Not because the artist could not do their thing but more because they where not allowed to. The whole bill was rushed through. I reached at 9.10 only to hear the mighty Prince Allah finishing off his set. I just caught the last bit of Bosrah (a personal favourite) and then one more tune and he was gone. Great, great artist though. A powerful lion. Check these tunes out: Chidren of God, Funeral, Stone & Black rose,Their Reward and Too Much Killing (a true)

Then came father Ras Michael. He too started by saying he did not have much time and rushed from one tune to the next with only a few minutes of nyabinghi; this was most disappointing. He had much command of the stage and his voice was great, but as he was being rushed, he was not able to give the true rendering he is capable of as an artist of such high calibre. He was clearly frustrated. Luckily we got to hear None a Jah Jah Children and then, he too, was gone.

We had to wait a few minute while Radics set up. Then they laid down the dreadest, tightest rydim this side of the Atlantic. Arrestingly deep resonant bass with the finer tonalities of the guitars and the sharp snare. I was transported along with the other fans to a finer place, a place of contemplation where the noise of Babylon cannot enter. True communion. Then they came on; the angelic voices of the ghetto; Israel Vibration (Skelly & Wiss). The vibration is so delicate, so subtle yet so captivating. The only thing to mar the sound was the lack of attention from the mixing desk to these vocal masters; the voices mixed too low for the heavy bass line. Sometimes Wiss’s fine vocal would get lost, but none the less, even this could not diminish the shear brilliance of timing, timbre and feeling.

Again they had to rush and essentially we got a showcase that had to end at 23:00 sharp. The promoter told me that Mean Fiddler had laid down the law and that was that; back to Babylon. Next time give the Bredren some room to breath; room to excel; to let us sample the champagne of all music. Thanks to all singers & players who worked hard to give a good show and an especial big thank you to Roots Radics who provided sublime rydim to carry us forward into the night.